Potato cultivar FL 2360

ABSTRACT

A potato cultivar designated FL 2360 is disclosed. The invention relates to tubers of potato cultivar FL 2360, to seeds of potato cultivar FL 2360, to plants and plant parts of potato cultivar FL 2360, to food products produced from potato cultivar FL 2360, and to methods for producing a potato plant by crossing potato cultivar FL 2360 with itself or with another potato variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a transgenic potato plant and to the transgenic potato plants and parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to potato plants and plant parts derived from potato cultivar FL 2360, to methods for producing other potato plants or plant parts derived from potato cultivar FL 2360 and to the potato plants and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid potato tubers, seeds, plants and plant parts produced by crossing potato cultivar FL 2360 with another potato cultivar.

BACKGROUND

All publications cited in this application are herein incorporated byreference.

The embodiments recited herein relate to a novel potato cultivardesignated FL 2360 and to the tubers, plants, plant parts, tissueculture and seeds produced by that potato variety. The embodimentsfurther relate to food products produced from potato cultivar FL 2360,such as, but not limited to, french fries, potato chips, dehydratedpotato material, potato flakes, and potato granules.

Potatoes are a tuberous crop grown from the perennial plant Solanumtuberosum. The potato is one of the top five most important food cropsin the world and the leading vegetable crop in the United States (UnitedStates Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, updatedOct. 19, 2016).

The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations relatedtherewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Otherlimitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill inthe art upon a reading of the specification.

SUMMARY

It is to be understood that the embodiments include a variety ofdifferent versions or embodiments, and this Summary is not meant to belimiting or all-inclusive. This Summary provides some generaldescriptions of some of the embodiments, but may also include some morespecific descriptions of other embodiments.

An embodiment provides a potato cultivar designated FL 2360. Anotherembodiment relates to the tubers, and potato seeds of potato cultivar FL2360, to the plants of potato cultivar FL 2360 and to methods forproducing a potato plant produced by crossing potato cultivar FL 2360with itself or another potato cultivar, and the creation of variants bymutagenesis, gene editing, or transformation of potato cultivar FL 2360.

Any such methods using potato cultivar FL 2360 are a further embodiment:selfing, backcrosses, hybrid production, crosses to populations, and thelike. All plants produced using potato cultivar FL 2360 as at least oneparent are within the scope of the embodiments. Advantageously, potatocultivar FL 2360 could be used in crosses with other, different potatoplants to produce first generation (F₁) potato hybrid seeds and plantswith superior characteristics.

Another embodiment provides for single or multiple gene converted plantsof potato cultivar FL 2360. The transferred gene(s) may be a dominant orrecessive allele. The transferred gene(s) may confer such traits asherbicide resistance, insect resistance, resistance for bacterial,fungal, or viral disease, male fertility, male sterility, enhancednutritional quality, modified fatty acid metabolism, modifiedcarbohydrate metabolism, modified yield, modified glycoalkaloid content,and industrial usage. The gene may be a naturally occurring potato geneor a transgene introduced through genetic engineering techniques.

Another embodiment provides for regenerable cells for use in tissueculture of potato cultivar FL 2360. The tissue culture may be capable ofregenerating plants having all the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of the foregoing potato plant, and of regeneratingplants having substantially the same genotype as the foregoing potatoplant. The regenerable cells in such tissue cultures may be embryos,protoplasts, meristematic cells, callus, pollen, leaves, ovules,anthers, cotyledons, hypocotyl, pistils, roots, root tips, flowers,seeds, tuber, light sprout, petiole, tubers, or stems. Still a furtherembodiment provides for potato plants regenerated from the tissuecultures of potato cultivar FL 2360.

As used herein, “at least one,” “one or more,” and “and/or” areopen-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive inoperation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, Band C,” “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” “oneor more of A, B, or C” and “A, B, and/or C” means A alone, B alone, Calone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B andC together.

As used herein, “sometime” means at some indefinite or indeterminatepoint of time. So for example, as used herein, “sometime after” meansfollowing, whether immediately following or at some indefinite orindeterminate point of time following the prior act.

Various embodiments are set forth in the Detailed Description asprovided herein and as embodied by the claims. It should be understood,however, that this Summary does not contain all of the aspects andembodiments, is not meant to be limiting or restrictive in any manner,and that embodiment(s) as disclosed herein is/are understood by those ofordinary skill in the art to encompass obvious improvements andmodifications thereto.

In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above,further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by study of thefollowing descriptions.

DEFINITIONS

In the description and tables herein, a number of terms are used. Inorder to provide a clear and consistent understanding of thespecification and claims, including the scope to be given such terms,the following definitions are provided:

Black spot. A black spot may be brown, gray, or black in appearance andis found in bruised tuber tissue as a result of a pigment called melaninthat is produced following the injury of cells Black spots occurprimarily in the perimedullary tissue just beneath the vascular ring,but may be large enough to include a portion of the cortical tissue.

Cotyledon. A cotyledon is a type of seed leaf. The cotyledon containsthe food storage tissues of the seed.

Embryo. The embryo is the small plant contained within a mature seed.

Gene. Gene refers to a segment of nucleic acid. A gene can be introducedinto a genome of a species, whether from a different species or from thesame species, using transformation or various breeding methods.

Golden nematode. Globodera rosiochiensis, commonly known as goldennematode, is a plant parasitic nematode affecting the roots and tubersof potato plants. Symptoms include poor plant growth, wilting, waterstress and nutrient deficiencies.

Hypocotyl. A hypocotyl is the portion of an embryo or seedling betweenthe cotyledons and the root. Therefore, it can be considered atransition zone between shoot and root.

Light Sprout or Sprout. Refers to the “eyes” or sprouts that grow fromthe buds on the surface of the potato skin.

Locus. Locus or loci (plural) refers to a position in the genome for agene, SNP, mutation, etc.

Plant Parts. Plant parts (or a potato plant, or a part thereof) includesbut is not limited to, regenerable cells in such tissue cultures may beembryos, protoplasts, meristematic cells, callus, pollen, leaves,ovules, anthers, cotyledons, hypocotyl, pistils, roots, root tips,flowers, seeds, tuber, eye, light sprout, tuber, petiole, or stems.

Progeny. Progeny includes an F₁ potato plant produced from the cross oftwo potato plants where at least one plant includes potato cultivar FL2360 and progeny further includes, but is not limited to, subsequent F₂,F₃, F₄, F₅, F₆, F₇, F₈, F₉, and F₁₀ generational crosses with therecurrent parental line.

Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL). Quantitative trait loci (QTL) refer togenetic loci that control to some degree numerically representabletraits that are usually continuously distributed.

Regeneration. Refers to the development of a plant from tissue culture.

RHS. RHS refers to the Royal Horticultural Society color reference.

Single Gene Converted (Conversion). Single gene converted (conversion)plants refers to plants which are developed by a plant breedingtechnique called backcrossing wherein essentially all of the desiredmorphological and physiological characteristics of a variety arerecovered in addition to the single gene transferred into the varietyvia the backcrossing technique or via genetic engineering.

Specific gravity. Refers to an expression of density and is ameasurement of potato quality. There is a high correlation between thespecific gravity of the tuber and the starch content and percentage ofdry matter or total solids. A higher specific gravity contributes tohigher recovery rate and better quality of the processed product.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Potato cultivar FL 2360 is an excellent chip processing variety out of 7to 8 month storage at 46 to 48 degrees F., and high tuber set.

Potato cultivar FL 2360 originated from a private breeding program nearRhinelander, Wis. FL 2360 is the result of classical hybridizationbreeding. In 2005, parental lines AWN86514-2 (female parent) and FL 2137(male parent) were crossed. AWN86514-2 is an ARS cultivar (AgricultureResearch Station—USDA) and was chosen as a breeding parent for its LateBlight and PVY resistance. FL 2137 was chosen for its high dry mattercontent, excellent chip color fresh off the field through 9 months ofstorage between 46 and 50 degrees F., and tolerance to common scab.Seeds from the cross were sown in a greenhouse near Rhinelander, Wis. inspring 2006. The resulting tubers were harvested in summer 2006 andplanted in the field in the spring of 2007, where the selection criteriawere high tuber set and uniform size. A single plant was chosen andgiven the experimental designation ‘2007 9.01’ and subsequently named FL2360. From 2007 to 2014, FL 2360 was planted and tested in greenhousesand fields in Rhinelander, Wis. and other locations in the UnitedStates, and tested for uniformity and stability and also for tuber set,dry matter content, Late Blight resistance, good row cover, chip color,good yield, and possible water efficiency.

Potato cultivar FL 2360 has shown uniformity and stability, as describedin the following variety description information. Potato cultivar FL2360 was tested for uniformity via tuber propagation for six generationsin Rhinelander, Wis. and for two generations in eleven locations aroundthe United States in randomized block replicated trials. Potato cultivarFL 2360 was tested for uniformity and stability a sufficient number ofgenerations with careful attention to uniformity of plant type and hasbeen increased with continued observation for uniformity.

Potato cultivar FL 2360 has the following morphologic and othercharacteristics based primarily on data collected in Rhinelander, Wis.

Table 1: Variety Description Information Comprised of Tables 1A and 1B

TABLE 1A Characteristic FL 2360 Market class Chip-processing Lightsprout, general shape Broad cylindrical Light sprout base, pubescence ofbase Strong Light sprout base, anthocyanin coloration Red-violet Lightsprout base, intensity of Strong anthocyanin coloration Light sprout,tip habit Closed Light sprout tip pubescence Medium Light sprout tipanthocyanin coloration Green Light sprout tip, intensity of Absentanthocyanin coloration Light sprout root initials, frequency Some Plantgrowth habit Spreading Plant type Intermediate Plant maturity (daysafter planting 126 at vine senescence) Maturity class Late (121-130 daysafter planting) Stem anthocyanin coloration Weak Stem wings Weak Leafcolor Dark-green, RHS 147A Leaf silhouette Medium Petiole, anthocyanincoloration Weak Terminal leaflet shape Medium-ovate Terminal leafletapex shape Acuminate Terminal leaflet base shape Cordate Terminalleaflet margin waviness Slight Average number of primary leaflet pairs4.45 (range is 4 to 5) Primary leaflet apex shape Acuminate Primaryleaflet size Large Primary leaflet shape Medium-ovate Primary leafletbase shape Cordate Average number of secondary and 8.4 (range is 5 to12) tertiary leaflet pairs Average number of inflorescences per plant2.8 (range is 1 to 4) Average number of florets per inflorescence 6.1(range is 3 to 10) Corolla color Inner surface is RHS 157A (White) andouter surface is RHS 157A (White) Corolla shape Pentagonal Calyxanthocyanin coloration Absent Anther color RHS 14B Anther shapePear-shaped cone Stigma shape Capitate Stigma color RHS 137B Tuber,predominant skin color RHS 199B (Tan) Tuber, secondary skin color AbsentTuber skin texture Rough (flaky) Tuber shape Oval Average tuberthickness 51.38 mm; medium-thick Average tuber length 69.37 mm Averagetuber width 61.27 mm Tuber eye depth Shallow Tuber lateral eyes ShallowAverage number of eyes per tuber 8.45 (range is 5 to 10) Distribution oftuber eyes Predominantly apical Prominence of tuber eyebrows Slightprominence Predominant tuber flesh color RHS 155A (White) Secondarytuber flesh color Absent Number of tubers per plant Low, less than 8Total glycoalkaloid content 9.44 mg/100 g fresh tuber Specific gravity1.080 to 1.089

TABLE 1B Disease FL 2360 Late blight (Phytophthora) Moderately resistantEarly blight (Alternaria) Intermediate susceptible Soft rot (Erwinia)Susceptible Common scab (Streptomyces) Moderately susceptible

Table 2 shows differences between Potato Cultivar FL 2360 and potatocultivar FL 2137 (U.S. Pat. No. 8,330,005). FL 2360 and FL 2137 differin at least the following characteristics: Common scab tolerance,reducing sugar levels, light sprout pubescence of the base, fry color,flower color, light sprout base color, and petiole anthocyanin. Commonscab (Streptomyces scabies) tolerance was tested in Lakeview, Mich. andwas measured on the following scale: 0=no skin lesions, 1=superficial orinfrequent scab with 1 to 10% coverage with no pitting, 2=moderatesurface scab 11 to 25% coverage with few, minor pits, 3=slight toaverage pits, with or without surface scab 26 to 50% surface coverage,4=serious pitted scab, with 51 to 75% coverage, and 5=severe pitted scabthat may be accompanied by surface or raised lesions greater than 75%.

TABLE 2 Characteristic FL 2360 FL 2137 Light sprout Very strong Mediumpubescence of base Common scab Moderately Moderately tolerancesusceptible resistant Reducing sugar levels Sucrose is below 1.5 Sucroseis below 1.5 mg/g and glucose is mg/g and glucose is below 0.15 mg/guntil below 0.15 mg/g until May July Fry color Good until May Good untilJuly Flower color RHS 157A (White) RHS 88A (Violet) Light sprout basecolor Red-violet Blue-violet Petiole anthocyanin Weak StrongBreeding with Potato Cultivar FL 2360

The complexity of inheritance influences choice of the breeding method.Backcross breeding is used to transfer one or a few favorable genes fora highly heritable trait into a desirable cultivar. This approach hasbeen used extensively for breeding disease-resistant cultivars. Variousrecurrent selection techniques are used to improve quantitativelyinherited traits controlled by numerous genes. The use of recurrentselection in self-pollinating crops depends on the ease of pollination,the frequency of successful hybrids from each pollination, and thenumber of hybrid offspring from each successful cross.

Promising advanced breeding lines are thoroughly tested and compared toappropriate standards in environments representative of the commercialtarget area(s) for three or more years. The best lines are candidatesfor new commercial cultivars; those still deficient in a few traits maybe used as parents to produce new populations for further selection.

These processes, which lead to the final step of marketing anddistribution, usually take from eight to twelve years from the time thefirst cross is made. Therefore, development of new cultivars is atime-consuming process that requires precise forward planning, efficientuse of resources, and a minimum of changes in direction.

A most difficult task is the identification of individuals that aregenetically superior, because for most traits the true genotypic valueis masked by other confounding plant traits or environmental factors.One method of identifying a superior plant is to observe its performancerelative to other experimental plants and to a widely grown standardcultivar. If a single observation is inconclusive, replicatedobservations provide a better estimate of its genetic worth.

The goal of potato breeding is to develop new and superior potatocultivars and hybrids. The breeder initially selects and crosses two ormore parental lines, followed by repeated selfing and selection,producing many new genetic combinations. The breeder can theoreticallygenerate billions of different genetic combinations via crossing,selection, selfing and mutations.

The development of new potato cultivars requires the development andselection of potato varieties, the crossing of these varieties andselection of superior hybrid crosses. The hybrid seed is produced bymanual crosses between selected male-fertile parents or by using malesterility systems. These hybrids are selected for certain single genetraits such as pod color, flower color, pubescence color or herbicideresistance which indicate that the seed is truly a hybrid. Additionaldata on parental lines, as well as the phenotype of the hybrid,influence the breeder's decision whether to continue with the specifichybrid cross.

Breeding programs combine desirable traits from two or more cultivars orvarious broad-based sources into breeding pools from which cultivars aredeveloped by selfing and selection of desired phenotypes. Pedigreebreeding is used commonly for the improvement of self-pollinating crops.Two parents that possess favorable, complementary traits are crossed toproduce an F₁. An F₂ population is produced by selfing one or several F₁plants. Selection of the best individuals may begin in the F₂population; then, beginning in the F₃, the best individuals in the bestfamilies are selected. Replicated testing of families can begin in theF₄ generation to improve the effectiveness of selection for traits withlow heritability. At an advanced stage of inbreeding (i.e., F₆ and F₇),the best lines or mixtures of phenotypically similar lines are testedfor potential release as new cultivars.

Using Potato Cultivar FL 2360 to Develop Other Potato Varieties

Potato varieties such as potato cultivar FL 2360 are typically developedfor use in seed and tuber production. However, potato varieties such aspotato cultivar FL 2360 also provide a source of breeding material thatmay be used to develop new potato varieties. Plant breeding techniquesknown in the art and used in a potato breeding program include, but arenot limited to, recurrent selection, mass selection, bulk selection,mass selection, backcrossing, pedigree breeding, open pollinationbreeding, restriction fragment length polymorphism enhanced selection,genetic marker enhanced selection, making double haploids,transformation, and gene editing. These techniques can be usedsingularly or in combinations. The development of potato varieties in abreeding program requires, in general, the development and evaluation ofhomozygous varieties. There are many analytical methods available toevaluate a new variety. The oldest and most traditional method ofanalysis is the observation of phenotypic traits, but genotypic analysismay also be used.

Additional Breeding Methods

One embodiment is directed to methods for producing a potato plant bycrossing a first parent potato plant with a second parent potato plant,wherein the first or second potato plant is the potato plant from potatocultivar FL 2360. Further, both first and second parent potato plantsmay be from potato cultivar FL 2360. Any plants produced using potatocultivar FL 2360 as at least one parent are also within the scope of theembodiments. These methods are well known in the art and some of themore commonly used breeding methods are described herein. Descriptionsof breeding methods can be found in one of several reference books(e.g., Allard, Principles of Plant Breeding (1960); Simmonds, Principlesof Crop Improvement (1979); Sneep, et al. (1979); Cooper, S. G., D. S.Douches and E. J. Grafius. 2004. Combining genetic engineering andtraditional breeding to provide elevated resistance in potatoes toColorado potato beetle. Entom. Exper. Applic. 112:37-46; Ross, H. 1986.Potato Breeding—Problems and Perspectives. Advances in Plant Breeding.Suppl. 13. J. Plant Breed. Verlag. Paul Parey, Berlin).

The following describes breeding methods that may be used with potatocultivar FL 2360 in the development of further potato plants. One suchembodiment is a method for developing a potato cultivar FL 2360 progenyplant in a potato breeding program comprising: obtaining the potatoplant, or a part thereof, of potato cultivar FL 2360, utilizing saidplant, or plant part, as a source of breeding material, and selecting apotato cultivar FL 2360 progeny plant with molecular markers in commonwith potato cultivar FL 2360 and/or with morphological and/orphysiological characteristics selected from the characteristics listedin Tables 1 and/or 2. Breeding steps that may be used in the potatoplant breeding program include pedigree breeding, backcrossing, mutationbreeding, and recurrent selection. In conjunction with these steps,techniques such as RFLP-enhanced selection, genetic marker enhancedselection (for example, SSR markers), and the making of double haploidsmay be utilized.

Another method involves producing a population of potato cultivar FL2360 progeny potato plants, comprising crossing potato cultivar FL 2360with another potato plant, thereby producing a population of potatoplants which derive 50% of their alleles from potato cultivar FL 2360. Aplant of this population may be selected and repeatedly selfed or sibbedwith a potato cultivar resulting from these successive filialgenerations. One embodiment is the potato cultivar produced by thismethod and that has obtained at least 50% of its alleles from potatocultivar FL 2360. See, Milbourne, D., et al. “Comparison of PCR-basedmarker systems for the analysis of genetic relationships in cultivatedpotato” in Molecular Breeding. 3(2): 127-136 (April 1997); Jacobs, J. M.E, et al., “genetic map of potato (Solanum tuberosum) integratingmolecular markers, including transposons, and classical markers”Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 91(2): 289-300 (July 1995).

One of ordinary skill in the art of plant breeding would know how toevaluate the traits of two plant varieties to determine if there is nosignificant difference between the two traits expressed by thosevarieties. For example, see, Fehr and Walt, Principles of CultivarDevelopment, pp. 261-286 (1987). Thus, embodiments include potatocultivar FL 2360 progeny potato plants comprising a combination of atleast two potato cultivar FL 2360 traits selected from the groupconsisting of those listed in Tables 1 and 2 and a combination of traitslisted in the Summary, so that said progeny potato plant is notsignificantly different for said traits than potato cultivar FL 2360 asdetermined at the 5% significance level when grown in the sameenvironmental conditions. Using techniques described herein, molecularmarkers may be used to identify said progeny plant as a potato cultivarFL 2360 progeny plant. Mean trait values may be used to determinewhether trait differences are significant, and preferably the traits aremeasured on plants grown under the same environmental conditions. Oncesuch a variety is developed, its value is substantial since it isimportant to advance the germplasm base as a whole in order to maintainor improve traits such as yield, disease resistance, pest resistance,and plant performance in extreme environmental conditions.

Progeny of potato cultivar FL 2360 may also be characterized throughtheir filial relationship with potato cultivar FL 2360, as for example,being within a certain number of breeding crosses of potato cultivar FL2360. A breeding cross is a cross made to introduce new genetics intothe progeny, and is distinguished from a self or a sib cross, which ismade to select among existing genetic alleles. The lower the number ofbreeding crosses in the pedigree, the closer the relationship betweenpotato cultivar FL 2360 and its progeny. For example, progeny producedby the methods described herein may be within 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 breedingcrosses of potato cultivar FL 2360.

Pedigree Breeding

Pedigree breeding starts with the crossing of two genotypes, such aspotato cultivar FL 2360 and another potato variety having one or moredesirable characteristics that is lacking or which complements potatocultivar FL 2360. If the two original parents do not provide all thedesired characteristics, other sources can be included in the breedingpopulation. In the pedigree method, superior plants are selfed andselected in successive filial generations. In the succeeding filialgenerations, the heterozygous condition gives way to homogeneousvarieties as a result of self-pollination and selection. Typically, inthe pedigree method of breeding, five or more successive filialgenerations of selfing and selection is practiced: F₁ to F₂; F₂ to F₃;F₃ to F₄; F₄ to F₅; etc. After a sufficient amount of inbreeding,successive filial generations will serve to increase seed of thedeveloped variety. Preferably, the developed variety compriseshomozygous alleles at about 95% or more of its loci.

Backcross Breeding

Backcross breeding has been used to transfer genes for a simplyinherited, highly heritable trait into a desirable homozygous cultivaror inbred line which is the recurrent parent. The source of the trait tobe transferred is called the donor parent. After the initial cross,individuals possessing the phenotype of the donor parent are selectedand repeatedly crossed (backcrossed) to the recurrent parent. Theresulting plant is expected to have the attributes of the recurrentparent (e.g., cultivar) and the desirable trait transferred from thedonor parent. This is also known as single gene conversion.

The selection of a suitable recurrent parent is an important step for asuccessful backcrossing procedure. The goal of a backcross protocol isto alter or substitute a single trait or characteristic in the originalvariety. To accomplish this, a single gene of the recurrent variety ismodified or substituted with the desired gene from the nonrecurrentparent, while retaining essentially all of the rest of the desiredgenetic, and therefore the desired physiological and morphologicalconstitution of the original variety. The choice of the particularnonrecurrent parent will depend on the purpose of the backcross; one ofthe major purposes is to add some agronomically important trait to theplant. The exact backcrossing protocol will depend on the characteristicor trait being altered to determine an appropriate testing protocol.Although backcrossing methods are simplified when the characteristicbeing transferred is a dominant allele, a recessive allele may also betransferred. In this instance, it may be necessary to introduce a testof the progeny to determine if the desired characteristic has beensuccessfully transferred.

Many single gene traits have been identified that are not regularlyselected for in the development of a new variety but that can beimproved by backcrossing techniques well-known in the art. Single genetraits may or may not be transgenic. Examples of these traits include,but are not limited to, herbicide resistance, insect resistance,resistance for bacterial, fungal, or viral disease, male fertility, malesterility, enhanced nutritional quality, modified fatty acid metabolism,modified carbohydrate metabolism, modified yield, modified glycoalkaloidcontent, and industrial usage

In addition to being used to create a backcross conversion, backcrossingcan also be used in combination with pedigree breeding. As discussedpreviously, backcrossing can be used to transfer one or morespecifically desirable traits from one variety, the donor parent, to adeveloped variety called the recurrent parent, which has overall goodagronomic characteristics yet lacks that desirable trait or traits.However, the same procedure can be used to move the progeny toward thegenotype of the recurrent parent, but at the same time retain manycomponents of the nonrecurrent parent by stopping the backcrossing at anearly stage and proceeding with selfing and selection. For example, apotato variety may be crossed with another variety to produce a firstgeneration progeny plant. The first generation progeny plant may then bebackcrossed to one of its parent varieties to create a BC₁ or BC₂.Progeny are selfed and selected so that the newly developed variety hasmany of the attributes of the recurrent parent and yet several of thedesired attributes of the nonrecurrent parent. This approach leveragesthe value and strengths of the recurrent parent for use in new potatovarieties.

Therefore, an embodiment of the present disclosure is a method of makinga backcross conversion potato cultivar FL 2360, comprising the steps ofcrossing a plant of potato cultivar FL 2360 with a donor plantcomprising a desired trait, selecting an F₁ progeny plant comprising thedesired trait, and backcrossing the selected F₁ progeny plant to a plantof potato cultivar FL 2360 to produce BC₁, BC₂, BC₃, etc. This methodmay further comprise the step of obtaining a molecular marker profile ofpotato cultivar FL 2360 and using the molecular marker profile to selectfor a progeny plant with the desired trait and the molecular markerprofile of potato cultivar FL 2360. In one embodiment, the desired traitis a mutant gene, gene, or transgene present in the donor parent.

Recurrent Selection and Mass Selection

Recurrent selection is a method used in a plant breeding program toimprove a population of plants. Potato cultivar FL 2360 is suitable foruse in a recurrent selection program. The method entails individualplants cross pollinating with each other to form progeny. The progenyare grown and the superior progeny selected by any number of selectionmethods, which include individual plant, half-sib progeny, full-sibprogeny, and selfed progeny. The selected progeny are cross pollinatedwith each other to form progeny for another population. This populationis planted and again superior plants are selected to cross pollinatewith each other. Recurrent selection is a cyclical process and thereforecan be repeated as many times as desired. The objective of recurrentselection is to improve the traits of a population. The improvedpopulation can then be used as a source of breeding material to obtainnew varieties for commercial or breeding use, including the productionof a synthetic cultivar. A synthetic cultivar is the resultant progenyformed by the intercrossing of several selected varieties.

Mass selection is a useful technique when used in conjunction withmolecular marker enhanced selection. In mass selection, seeds fromindividuals are selected based on phenotype or genotype. These selectedseeds are then bulked and used to grow the next generation. Bulkselection requires growing a population of plants in a bulk plot,allowing the plants to self-pollinate, harvesting the seed in bulk, andthen using a sample of the seed harvested in bulk to plant the nextgeneration. Also, instead of self-pollination, directed pollinationcould be used as part of the breeding program.

Mass and recurrent selections can be used to improve populations ofeither self- or cross-pollinating crops. A genetically variablepopulation of heterozygous individuals is either identified, or created,by intercrossing several different parents. The plants are selectedbased on individual superiority, outstanding progeny, or excellentcombining ability. The selected plants are intercrossed to produce a newpopulation in which further cycles of selection are continued.

Single-Seed Descent

The single-seed descent procedure in the strict sense refers to plantinga segregating population, harvesting a sample of one seed per plant, andusing the one-seed sample to plant the next generation. When thepopulation has been advanced from the F₂ to the desired level ofinbreeding, the plants from which lines are derived will each trace todifferent F₂ individuals. The number of plants in a population declineseach generation due to failure of some seeds to germinate or some plantsto produce at least one seed. As a result, not all of the F₂ plantsoriginally sampled in the population will be represented by a progenywhen generation advance is completed.

Mutation Breeding

Mutation breeding is another method of introducing new traits intopotato cultivar FL 2360. Mutations that occur spontaneously or areartificially induced can be useful sources of variability for a plantbreeder. The goal of artificial mutagenesis is to increase the rate ofmutation for a desired characteristic. Mutation rates can be increasedby many different means including temperature, long-term seed storage,tissue culture conditions, radiation; such as X-rays, Gamma rays (e.g.,cobalt 60 or cesium 137), neutrons, (product of nuclear fission byuranium 235 in an atomic reactor), Beta radiation (emitted fromradioisotopes such as phosphorus 32 or carbon 14), or ultravioletradiation (preferably from 2500 to 2900 nm), or chemical mutagens (suchas base analogues (5-bromo-uracil)), related compounds (8-ethoxycaffeine), antibiotics (streptonigrin), alkylating agents (sulfurmustards, nitrogen mustards, epoxides, ethylenamines, sulfates,sulfonates, sulfones, lactones), azide, hydroxylamine, nitrous acid, oracridines. Once a desired trait is observed through mutagenesis thetrait may then be incorporated into existing germplasm by traditionalbreeding techniques. Details of mutation breeding can be found in Fehr,“Principles of Cultivar Development,” Macmillan Publishing Company(1993). In addition, mutations created in other potato plants may beused to produce a backcross conversion of potato cultivar FL 2360 thatcomprises such mutation.

Additional methods include, but are not limited to, expression vectorsintroduced into plant tissues using a direct gene transfer method, suchas microprojectile-mediated delivery, DNA injection, electroporation,and the like. More preferably, expression vectors are introduced intoplant tissues by using either microprojectile-mediated delivery with abiolistic device or by using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation.Transformant plants obtained with the protoplasm of the embodiments areintended to be within the scope of the embodiments.

Gene Editing

Targeted gene editing can be done using CRISPR/Cas9 technology (Saunders& Joung, Nature Biotechnology, 32, 347-355, 2014), and more generallycrRNA-guided surveillance systems for gene editing. Additionalinformation about crRNA-guided surveillance complex systems for geneediting can be found in the following documents, which are incorporatedby reference in their entirety: U.S. Application Publication No.2010/0076057 (Sontheimer et al., Target DNA Interference with crRNA);U.S. Application Publication No. 2014/0179006 (Feng, CRISPR-CASComponent Systems, Methods, and Compositions for Sequence Manipulation);U.S. Application Publication No. 2014/0294773 (Brouns et al., ModifiedCascade Ribonucleoproteins and Uses Thereof); Sorek et al., Annu. Rev.Biochem. 82:273-266, 2013; and Wang, S. et al., Plant Cell Rep (2015)34: 1473-1476.

Introduction of a New Trait or Locus into Potato Cultivar FL 2360

Potato cultivar FL 2360 represents a new variety into which a new locusor trait may be introgressed. Direct transformation and backcrossingrepresent two important methods that can be used to accomplish such anintrogression. The term backcross conversion and single locus conversionare used interchangeably to designate the product of a backcrossingprogram.

Backcross Conversions of Potato Cultivar FL 2360

A backcross conversion of potato cultivar FL 2360 occurs when DNAsequences are introduced through backcrossing (The Potato GenomeSequencing Consortium, “Genome sequence and analysis of the tuber croppotato” Nature. 475: 189-195. (14 Jul. 2011); Hallauer, et al., “CornBreeding,” Corn and Corn Improvements, No. 18, pp. 463-481 (1988)), withpotato cultivar FL 2360 utilized as the recurrent parent. Both naturallyoccurring and transgenic DNA sequences may be introduced throughbackcrossing techniques. A backcross conversion may produce a plant witha trait or locus conversion in at least two or more backcrosses,including at least 2 crosses, at least 3 crosses, at least 4 crosses, atleast 5 crosses, and the like. Molecular marker assisted breeding orselection may be utilized to reduce the number of backcrosses necessaryto achieve the backcross conversion. For example, see, Barone, Amalia,“Molecular marker-assisted selection for potato breeding” AmericanJournal of Potato Research. 81(2):111-117 (March 2004), and Openshaw, S.J., et al., Marker-assisted Selection in Backcross Breeding, ProceedingsSymposium of the Analysis of Molecular Data, Crop Science Society ofAmerica, Corvallis, Oreg. (August 1994), where it is demonstrated that abackcross conversion can be made in as few as two backcrosses.

The complexity of the backcross conversion method depends on the type oftrait being transferred (single genes or closely linked genes ascompared to unlinked genes), the level of expression of the trait, thetype of inheritance (cytoplasmic or nuclear), and the types of parentsincluded in the cross. It is understood by those of ordinary skill inthe art that for single gene traits that are relatively easy toclassify, the backcross method is effective and relatively easy tomanage. Desired traits that may be transferred through backcrossconversion include, but are not limited to, sterility (nuclear andcytoplasmic), fertility restoration, nutritional enhancements, droughttolerance, nitrogen utilization, altered fatty acid profile, lowphytate, industrial enhancements, disease resistance (bacterial, fungal,or viral), insect resistance, and herbicide resistance. In addition, anintrogression site itself, such as an FRT site, Lox site, or other sitespecific integration site, may be inserted by backcrossing and utilizedfor direct insertion of one or more genes of interest into a specificplant variety. In some embodiments, the number of loci that may bebackcrossed into potato cultivar FL 2360 is at least 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5,and/or no more than 6, 5, 4, 3, or 2. A single locus may contain severaltransgenes, such as a transgene for disease resistance that, in the sameexpression vector, also contains a transgene for herbicide resistance.The gene for herbicide resistance may be used as a selectable markerand/or as a phenotypic trait. A single locus conversion of site specificintegration system allows for the integration of multiple genes at theconverted loci.

The backcross conversion may result from either the transfer of adominant allele or a recessive allele. Selection of progeny containingthe trait of interest is accomplished by direct selection for a traitassociated with a dominant allele. Transgenes transferred viabackcrossing typically function as a dominant single gene trait and arerelatively easy to classify. Selection of progeny for a trait that istransferred via a recessive allele requires growing and selfing thefirst backcross generation to determine which plants carry the recessivealleles. Recessive traits may require additional progeny testing insuccessive backcross generations to determine the presence of the locusof interest. The last backcross generation is usually selfed to givepure breeding progeny for the gene(s) being transferred, although abackcross conversion with a stably introgressed trait may also bemaintained by further backcrossing to the recurrent parent withselection for the converted trait.

Along with selection for the trait of interest, progeny are selected forthe phenotype of the recurrent parent. The backcross is a form ofinbreeding, and the features of the recurrent parent are automaticallyrecovered after successive backcrosses. Poehlman, Breeding Field Crops,p. 204 (1987). Poehlman suggests from one to four or more backcrosses,but as noted above, the number of backcrosses necessary can be reducedwith the use of molecular markers. Other factors, such as a geneticallysimilar donor parent, may also reduce the number of backcrossesnecessary. As noted by Poehlman, backcrossing is easiest for simplyinherited, dominant, and easily recognized traits.

One process for adding or modifying a trait or locus in potato cultivarFL 2360 comprises crossing potato cultivar FL 2360 plants grown frompotato cultivar FL 2360 seed with plants of another potato variety thatcomprise the desired trait or locus, selecting F₁ progeny plants thatcomprise the desired trait or locus to produce selected F₁ progenyplants, crossing the selected progeny plants with the potato cultivar FL2360 plants to produce backcross progeny plants, selecting for backcrossprogeny plants that have the desired trait or locus and themorphological characteristics of potato cultivar FL 2360 to produceselected backcross progeny plants, and backcrossing to potato cultivarFL 2360 three or more times in succession to produce selected fourth orhigher backcross progeny plants that comprise said trait or locus. Themodified potato cultivar FL 2360 may be further characterized as havingthe physiological and morphological characteristics of potato cultivarFL 2360 listed in Tables 1 and 2 and the Summary as determined at the 5%significance level when grown in the same environmental conditionsand/or may be characterized by percent similarity or identity to potatocultivar FL 2360 as determined by SSR markers. The above method may beutilized with fewer backcrosses in appropriate situations, such as whenthe donor parent is highly related or markers are used in the selectionstep. Desired traits that may be used include those nucleic acids knownin the art, some of which are listed herein, that will affect traitsthrough nucleic acid expression or inhibition. Desired loci include theintrogression of FRT, Lox, and other sites for site specificintegration, which may also affect a desired trait if a functionalnucleic acid is inserted at the integration site.

In addition, the above process and other similar processes describedherein may be used to produce first generation progeny potato seed byadding a step at the end of the process that comprises crossing potatocultivar FL 2360 with the introgressed trait or locus with a differentpotato plant and harvesting the resultant first generation progenypotato seed.

Molecular Techniques Using Potato Cultivar FL 2360

The advent of new molecular biological techniques has allowed theisolation and characterization of genetic elements with specificfunctions, such as encoding specific protein products. Scientists in thefield of plant biology developed a strong interest in engineering thegenome of plants to contain and express foreign genetic elements, oradditional, or modified versions of native or endogenous geneticelements in order to “alter” (the utilization of up-regulation,down-regulation, or gene silencing) the traits of a plant in a specificmanner. Any DNA sequences, whether from a different species or from thesame species, which are introduced into the genome using transformationor various breeding methods are referred to herein collectively as“transgenes.” In some embodiments, a transgenic variant of potatocultivar FL 2360 may contain at least one transgene. Over the lastfifteen to twenty years several methods for producing transgenic plantshave been developed, and another embodiment also relates to transgenicvariants of the claimed potato cultivar FL 2360.

Nucleic acids or polynucleotides refer to RNA or DNA that is linear orbranched, single or double stranded, or a hybrid thereof. The term alsoencompasses RNA/DNA hybrids. These terms also encompass untranslatedsequence located at both the 3′ and 5′ ends of the coding region of thegene: at least about 1000 nucleotides of sequence upstream from the 5′end of the coding region and at least about 200 nucleotides of sequencedownstream from the 3′ end of the coding region of the gene. Less commonbases, such as inosine, 5-methylcytosine, 6-methyladenine, hypoxanthineand others can also be used for antisense, dsRNA and ribozyme pairing.For example, polynucleotides that contain C-5 propyne analogues ofuridine and cytidine have been shown to bind RNA with high affinity andto be potent antisense inhibitors of gene expression. Othermodifications, such as modification to the phosphodiester backbone, orthe 2′-hydroxy in the ribose sugar group of the RNA can also be made.The antisense polynucleotides and ribozymes can consist entirely ofribonucleotides, or can contain mixed ribonucleotides anddeoxyribonucleotides. The polynucleotides of the embodiments may beproduced by any means, including genomic preparations, cDNApreparations, in-vitro synthesis, RT-PCR, and in vitro or in vivotranscription.

One embodiment is a process for producing potato cultivar FL 2360further comprising a desired trait, said process comprising introducinga transgene that confers a desired trait to a potato plant of potatocultivar FL 2360. Another embodiment is the product produced by thisprocess. In one embodiment, the desired trait may be one or more ofherbicide resistance, insect resistance, disease resistance, decreasedphytate, or modified fatty acid or carbohydrate metabolism. The specificgene may be any known in the art or listed herein, including: apolynucleotide conferring resistance to imidazolinone, dicamba,sulfonylurea, glyphosate, glufosinate, triazine, PPO-inhibitorherbicides, benzonitrile, cyclohexanedione, phenoxy proprionic acid, andL-phosphinothricin; a polynucleotide encoding a Bacillus thuringiensispolypeptide; a polynucleotide encoding phytase, FAD-2, FAD-3, galactinolsynthase, or a raffinose synthetic enzyme; or a polynucleotideconferring resistance to Phytophthora late blight, Alternaria earlyblight, Erwinia soft rot, Streptomyces common scab, Spongospora powderyscab, Fusarium dry rot, Potato Leaf Roll Virus (PLRV), Globoderarostochiensis, or Globodera pallida.

Numerous methods for plant transformation have been developed, includingbiological and physical plant transformation protocols. See, forexample, Miki et al., “Procedures for Introducing Foreign DNA intoPlants,” in Methods in Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Glickand Thompson Eds., CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, pp. 67-88 (1993), andArmstrong, “The First Decade of Maize Transformation: A Review andFuture Perspective,” Maydica, 44:101-109 (1999). In addition, expressionvectors and in vitro culture methods for plant cell or tissuetransformation and regeneration of plants are available. See, forexample, Gruber, et al., “Vectors for Plant Transformation,” in Methodsin Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Glick and Thompson Eds.,CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, pp. 89-119 (1993).

A genetic trait which has been engineered into the genome of aparticular potato plant may then be moved into the genome of anothervariety using traditional breeding techniques that are well known in theplant breeding arts. For example, a backcrossing approach is commonlyused to move a transgene from a transformed potato variety into analready developed potato variety, and the resulting backcross conversionplant would then comprise the transgene(s).

Various genetic elements can be introduced into the plant genome usingtransformation. These elements include, but are not limited to, genes,coding sequences, inducible, constitutive and tissue specific promoters,enhancing sequences, and signal and targeting sequences. For example,see the traits, genes, and transformation methods listed in U.S. Pat.No. 6,118,055.

Breeding with Molecular Markers

Molecular markers, which includes markers identified through the use oftechniques such as Isozyme Electrophoresis, Restriction Fragment LengthPolymorphisms (RFLPs), Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs),Arbitrarily Primed Polymerase Chain Reaction (AP-PCR), DNA AmplificationFingerprinting (DAF), Sequence Characterized Amplified Regions (SCARs),Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms (AFLPs), Simple Sequence Repeats(SSRs), and Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) may be used in plantbreeding methods utilizing potato cultivar FL 2360.

Isozyme Electrophoresis and RFLPs have been widely used to determinegenetic composition. See Kennedy, L. S., et al, “Identification of SweetPotato Cultivars Using Isozyme Analysis” HortScience 26(3):300-302.(1991).

SSR technology can be routinely used. See Gebhardt, C., et al. “RFLP Mapof the Potato” in R. L. Philipps and I. K. Vasil (eds.), DNA-BasedMarkers in Plants, 319-336, Kluwer Academic Publishers (2001).

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) may also be used to identify theunique genetic composition of the embodiment(s) and progeny varietiesretaining that unique genetic composition. See Vos, Peter G., et al.“Development and analysis of a 20K SNP array for potato (Solanumtuberosum): an insight into the breeding history” Theor. Appl. Genet.128(12):2387-2401 (2015).

One use of molecular markers is Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) mapping.QTL mapping is the use of markers, which are known to be closely linkedto alleles that have measurable effects on a quantitative trait.Selection in the breeding process is based upon the accumulation ofmarkers linked to the positive effecting alleles and/or the eliminationof the markers linked to the negative effecting alleles from the plant'sgenome. See Danan, S., et al, “Construction of a potato consensus mapand QTL meta-analysis offer new insights into the genetic architectureof late blight resistance and plant maturity traits” BMC Plant Biol.2011 Jan. 19; 11:16; and Manrique-Carpintero, N. C., et al., “GeneticMap and QTL Analysis of Agronomic Traits in a Diploid Potato Populationusing Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Markers Molecular” Crop Sci.55:2566-2579 (2015). QTL markers can also be used during the breedingprocess for the selection of qualitative traits. For example, markersclosely linked to alleles or markers containing sequences within theactual alleles of interest can be used to select plants that contain thealleles of interest during a backcrossing breeding program. The markerscan also be used to select for the genome of the recurrent parent andagainst the genome of the donor parent. See, Milbourne, D., et al.“Comparison of PCR-based marker systems for the analysis of geneticrelationships in cultivated potato” in Molecular Breeding. 3(2): 127-136(April 1997); Jacobs, J. M. E, et al., “genetic map of potato (Solanumtuberosum) integrating molecular markers, including transposons, andclassical markers” Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 91(2): 289-300(July 1995). Using this procedure can minimize the amount of genome fromthe donor parent that remains in the selected plants. It can also beused to reduce the number of crosses back to the recurrent parent neededin a backcrossing program. The use of molecular markers in the selectionprocess is often called genetic marker enhanced selection. Molecularmarkers may also be used to identify and exclude certain sources ofgermplasm as parental varieties or ancestors of a plant by providing ameans of tracking genetic profiles through crosses.

Production of Double Haploids

The production of double haploids can also be used for the developmentof plants with a homozygous phenotype in the breeding program. Forexample, a potato plant for which potato cultivar FL 2360 is a parentcan be used to produce double haploid plants. Double haploids areproduced by the doubling of a set of chromosomes (1N) from aheterozygous plant to produce a completely homozygous individual. Forexample, see, Rokka, V. N. “Potato haploids in Breeding” in A. Touraevet al. (eds.) Advances in Haploid Production in Higher Plants, SpringScience+Business Media B. V. (2009), Chapter 17; and De Maine, M. J.“Potato Haploid Technologies” in M. Maluszynski et al. (eds), DoubledHaploid Production in Crop Plants, pp 241-247 (2003). This can beadvantageous because the process omits the generations of selfing neededto obtain a homozygous plant from a heterozygous source.

Thus, an embodiment is a process for making a substantially homozygouspotato cultivar FL 2360 progeny plant by producing or obtaining a seedfrom the cross of potato cultivar FL 2360 and another potato plant andapplying double haploid methods to the F₁ seed or F₁ plant or to anysuccessive filial generation.

In particular, a process of making seed retaining the molecular markerprofile of potato variety FL 2360 is contemplated, such processcomprising obtaining or producing F₁ seed for which potato variety FL2360 is a parent, inducing doubled haploids to create progeny withoutthe occurrence of meiotic segregation, obtaining the molecular markerprofile of potato variety FL 2360, and selecting progeny that retain themolecular marker profile of potato variety FL 2360.

Expression Vectors for Potato Transformation: Marker Genes

Plant transformation involves the construction of an expression vectorwhich will function in plant cells. Such a vector comprises DNAcomprising a gene under control of, or operatively linked to, aregulatory element (for example, a promoter). Expression vectors includeat least one genetic marker operably linked to a regulatory element (forexample, a promoter) that allows transformed cells containing the markerto be either recovered by negative selection, i.e., inhibiting growth ofcells that do not contain the selectable marker gene, or by positiveselection, i.e., screening for the product encoded by the geneticmarker. Many commonly used selectable marker genes for planttransformation are well-known in the transformation arts, and include,for example, genes that code for enzymes that metabolically detoxify aselective chemical agent which may be an antibiotic or an herbicide, orgenes that encode an altered target which is insensitive to theinhibitor. A few positive selection methods are also known in the art.

One commonly used selectable marker gene for plant transformation is theneomycin phosphotransferase II (nptII) gene which, when under thecontrol of plant regulatory signals, confers resistance to kanamycin.Lecardonnel, Anne, et al., “Genetic transformation of potato withnptII-gus marker genes enhances foliage consumption by Colorado potatobeetle larvae” in Molecular Breeding October 1999, Volume 5, Issue 5, pp441-451.

Another commonly used selectable marker gene is the hygromycinphosphotransferase gene which confers resistance to the antibiotichygromycin. Kim, Hyun-Soon, et al. “The UDP-N-acetylglucosamine:DolicholPhosphate-N-acetylglucosamine-phosphotransferase Gene as a New SelectionMarker for Potato Transformation” Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem., 77(7),1589-1592 (2013).

Additional selectable marker genes include Pain1-9a and Pain1-8c whichboth correspond to the group a alleles of the vacuolar acid invertasegene; Pain1prom-d/e; Stp23-8b, StpL-3b, and StpL-3e which originate fromtwo plastid starch phosphorylase genes; AGPsS-9a which is positivelyassociated an increase in tuber starch content, starch yield and chipquality, and AGPsS-10a which is associated with a decrease in theaverage tuber starch content, starch yield and chip quality; GP171-awhich corresponds to allele 1a of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylaseactivase; and Rca-1a. See Li, Li, et al, “Validation of candidate genemarkers for marker-assisted selection of potato cultivars with improvedtuber quality” Theor Appl Genet. 2013 April; 126(4): 1039-1052.

Selectable marker genes for plant transformation not of bacterial origininclude, for example, mouse dihydrofolate reductase, plant5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase, and plant acetolactatesynthase (Eichholtz, et al., Somatic Cell Mol. Genet., 13:67 (1987);Shah, et al., Science, 233:478 (1986); Charest, et al., Plant Cell Rep.,8:643 (1990)).

Another class of marker genes for plant transformation requiresscreening of presumptively transformed plant cells, rather than directgenetic selection of transformed cells, for resistance to a toxicsubstance such as an antibiotic. These genes are particularly useful toquantify or visualize the spatial pattern of expression of a gene inspecific tissues and are frequently referred to as reporter genesbecause they can be fused to a gene or gene regulatory sequence for theinvestigation of gene expression. Commonly used marker genes forscreening presumptively transformed cells include β-glucuronidase (GUS),β-galactosidase, luciferase, and chloramphenicol acetyltransferase(Jefferson, R. A., Plant Mol. Biol. Rep., 5:387 (1987); Teeri, et al.,EMBO J., 8:343 (1989); Koncz, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 84:131(1987); DeBlock, et al., EMBO J., 3:1681 (1984)).

Expression Vectors for Potato Transformation: Promoters

Genes included in expression vectors must be driven by a nucleotidesequence comprising a regulatory element (for example, a promoter).Several types of promoters are well known in the transformation arts asare other regulatory elements that can be used alone or in combinationwith promoters.

As used herein, “promoter” includes reference to a region of DNAupstream from the start of transcription and involved in recognition andbinding of RNA polymerase and other proteins to initiate transcription.A “plant promoter” is a promoter capable of initiating transcription inplant cells. Examples of promoters under developmental control includepromoters that preferentially initiate transcription in certain tissues,such as leaves, roots, seeds, fibers, xylem vessels, tracheids, orsclerenchyma. Such promoters are referred to as “tissue-preferred.”Promoters that initiate transcription only in a certain tissue arereferred to as “tissue-specific.” A “cell-type” specific promoterprimarily drives expression in certain cell types in one or more organs,for example, vascular cells in roots or leaves. An “inducible” promoteris a promoter which is under environmental control. Examples ofenvironmental conditions that may affect transcription by induciblepromoters include anaerobic conditions or the presence of light.Tissue-specific, tissue-preferred, cell-type specific, and induciblepromoters constitute the class of “non-constitutive” promoters. A“constitutive” promoter is a promoter that is active under mostenvironmental conditions.

A. Inducible Promoters: An inducible promoter is operably linked to agene for expression in potatoes. Optionally, the inducible promoter isoperably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a signal sequencewhich is operably linked to a gene for expression in potatoes. With aninducible promoter, the rate of transcription increases in response toan inducing agent.

Any inducible promoter can be used in one or more embodiments. See,Ward, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 22:361-366 (1993). Exemplary induciblepromoters include, but are not limited to a stress-inducible Arabidopsisrd29A promoter, Pino, M. T., et al., “Use of a stress inducible promoterto drive ectopic AtCBF expression improves potato freezing tolerancewhile minimizing negative effects on tuber yield” Plant Biotechnol. J.2007 September; 5(5):591-604; a light-inducible promoter Lhca3,Meiyalaghan, S., et al., “Expression of cry1Ac9 and cry9Aa2 genes undera potato light-inducible Lhca3 promoter in transgenic potatoes for tubermoth resistance” Euphytica 147(3) (April 2006).

B. Constitutive Promoters: A constitutive promoter is operably linked toa gene for expression in potatoes or the constitutive promoter isoperably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a signal sequencewhich is operably linked to a gene for expression in potatoes.

Many different constitutive promoters can be utilized in one or moreembodiments. Exemplary constitutive promoters include, but are notlimited to, the promoters from plant viruses such as the 35S promoterfrom CaMV (Odell, et al., Nature, 313:810-812 (1985)) and the promotersfrom such genes as rice actin (McElroy, et al., Plant Cell, 2:163-171(1990)); ubiquitin (Christensen, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 12:619-632(1989); Christensen, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 18:675-689 (1992)); pEMU(Last, et al., Theor. Appl. Genet., 81:581-588 (1991)); MAS (Velten, etal., EMBO J., 3:2723-2730 (1984)); and maize H3 histone (Lepetit, etal., Mol. Gen. Genetics, 231:276-285 (1992); Atanassova, et al., PlantJournal, 2 (3):291-300 (1992)). The ALS promoter, Xbal/NcoI fragment 5′to the Brassica napus ALS3 structural gene (or a nucleotide sequencesimilarity to said XbaI/NcoI fragment), represents another usefulconstitutive promoter. See also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,026.

C. Tissue-Specific or Tissue-Preferred Promoters: A tissue-specificpromoter is operably linked to a gene for expression in potato.Optionally, the tissue-specific promoter is operably linked to anucleotide sequence encoding a signal sequence which is operably linkedto a gene for expression in potato. Plants transformed with a gene ofinterest operably linked to a tissue-specific promoter produce theprotein product of the transgene exclusively, or preferentially, in aspecific tissue.

Any tissue-specific or tissue-preferred promoter can be utilized in anembodiment(s). Exemplary tissue-specific or tissue-preferred promotersinclude, but are not limited to the C(4)-PEPC promoter, see Ghasimi, H.,et al., “Green-tissue-specific, C(4)-PEPC-promoter-driven expression ofCry1Ab makes transgenic potato plants resistant to tuber moth(Phthorimaea operculella, Zeller), Plant Cell Rep. 2009 Dec. 28,(12):1869-79; and see Lim, C. J., et al., “Screening of Tissue-SpecificGenes and Promoters in Tomato by Comparing Genome Wide ExpressionProfiles of Arabidopsis Orthologues”, Mol Cells. 2012 Jul. 31; 34(1):53-59.

Signal Sequences for Targeting Proteins to Subcellular Compartments

Transport of a protein produced by transgenes to a subcellularcompartment, such as the chloroplast, vacuole, peroxisome, glyoxysome,cell wall, or mitochondrion, or for secretion into the apoplast, isaccomplished by means of operably linking the nucleotide sequenceencoding a signal sequence to the 5′ and/or 3′ region of a gene encodingthe protein of interest. Targeting sequences at the 5′ and/or 3′ end ofthe structural gene may determine during protein synthesis andprocessing where the encoded protein is ultimately compartmentalized.

The presence of a signal sequence directs a polypeptide to either anintracellular organelle or subcellular compartment or for secretion tothe apoplast. Many signal sequences are well-known in the art. See, forexample, Becker, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 20:49 (1992); Knox, C., etal., Plant Mol. Biol., 9:3-17 (1987); Lerner, et al., Plant Physiol.,91:124-129 (1989); Frontes, et al., Plant Cell, 3:483-496 (1991);Matsuoka, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 88:834 (1991); Gould, et al.,J. Cell. Biol., 108:1657 (1989); Creissen, et al., Plant J., 2:129(1991); Kalderon, et al., Cell, 39:499-509 (1984); Steifel, et al.,Plant Cell, 2:785-793 (1990).

Foreign Protein Genes and Agronomic Genes: Transformation

With transgenic plants, according to one embodiment, a foreign proteincan be produced in commercial quantities. Thus, techniques for theselection and propagation of transformed plants, which are wellunderstood in the art, yield a plurality of transgenic plants which areharvested in a conventional manner, and a foreign protein can then beextracted from a tissue of interest or from total biomass. Proteinextraction from plant biomass can be accomplished by known methods whichare discussed, for example, by Heney and Orr, Anal. Biochem., 114:92-6(1981).

According to an embodiment, the transgenic plant provided for commercialproduction of foreign protein is a potato plant. In another embodiment,the biomass of interest is potato tubers and potato seed. For therelatively small number of transgenic plants that show higher levels ofexpression, a genetic map can be generated, primarily via conventionalRFLP, PCR, and SSR analysis, which identifies the approximatechromosomal location of the integrated DNA molecule. For exemplarymethodologies in this regard, see, Glick and Thompson, Methods in PlantMolecular Biology and Biotechnology, CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton,269:284 (1993). Map information concerning chromosomal location isuseful for proprietary protection of a subject transgenic plant.

Likewise, by means of one embodiment, plants can be geneticallyengineered to express various phenotypes of agronomic interest. Throughthe transformation of potato, the expression of genes can be altered toenhance disease resistance, insect resistance, herbicide resistance,agronomic, tuber quality, and other traits. Transformation can also beused to insert DNA sequences which control or help controlmale-sterility. DNA sequences native to potatoes, as well as non-nativeDNA sequences, can be transformed into potatoes and used to alter levelsof native or non-native proteins. Various promoters, targetingsequences, enhancing sequences, and other DNA sequences can be insertedinto the genome for the purpose of altering the expression of proteins.The interruption or suppression of the expression of a gene at the levelof transcription or translation (also known as gene silencing or genesuppression) is desirable for several aspects of genetic engineering inplants.

Many techniques for gene silencing are well-known to one of skill in theart, including, but not limited to, knock-outs (such as by insertion ofa transposable element such as Mu (Vicki Chandler, The Maize Handbook,Ch. 118 (Springer-Verlag 1994)) or other genetic elements such as a FRT,Lox, or other site specific integration sites; antisense technology(see, e.g., Sheehy, et al., PNAS USA, 85:8805-8809 (1988) and U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,107,065, 5,453,566, and 5,759,829); co-suppression (e.g., Taylor,Plant Cell, 9:1245 (1997); Jorgensen, Trends Biotech., 8(12):340-344(1990); Flavell, PNAS USA, 91:3490-3496 (1994); Finnegan, et al.,Bio/Technology, 12:883-888 (1994); Neuhuber, et al., Mol. Gen. Genet.,244:230-241 (1994)); RNA interference (Napoli, et al., Plant Cell,2:279-289 (1990); U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,323; Sharp, Genes Dev., 13:139-141(1999); Zamore, et al., Cell, 101:25-33 (2000); Montgomery, et al., PNASUSA, 95:15502-15507 (1998)), virus-induced gene silencing (Burton, etal., Plant Cell, 12:691-705 (2000); Baulcombe, Curr. Op. Plant Bio.,2:109-113 (1999)); target-RNA-specific ribozymes (Haseloff, et al.,Nature, 334:585-591 (1988)); hairpin structures (Smith, et al., Nature,407:319-320 (2000); U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,423,885, 7,138,565, 6,753,139, and7,713,715); MicroRNA (Aukerman & Sakai, Plant Cell, 15:2730-2741(2003)); ribozymes (Steinecke, et al., EMBO J., 11:1525 (1992);Perriman, et al., Antisense Res. Dev., 3:253 (1993)); oligonucleotidemediated targeted modification (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,528,700 and6,911,575); Zn-finger targeted molecules (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos.7,151,201, 6,453,242, 6,785,613, 7,177,766 and 7,788,044); and othermethods or combinations of the above methods known to those of skill inthe art.

Additional Methods for Potato Transformation

Numerous methods for plant transformation have been developed includingbiological and physical plant transformation protocols. See, forexample, Chakaravarty, B., et al., “Genetic transformation in potato:Approaches and strategies” American Journal of Potato Research84(4):301-311.

A. Agrobacterium-mediated Transformation: One method for introducing anexpression vector into plants is based on the natural transformationsystem of Agrobacterium. See, for example, Orozco-Cárdenas, M. L., etal., (2014). Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Methods in Molecular biology,Agrobacterium Protocols edited by Kan Wang. Third Edition Volume 2,Humana Press. Totowa, N.J., (2014).

B. Direct Gene Transfer: Several methods of plant transformation,collectively referred to as direct gene transfer, have been developed asan alternative to Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. A generallyapplicable method of plant transformation is microprojectile-mediatedtransformation where DNA is carried on the surface of microprojectilesmeasuring 1 to 4 μm. The expression vector is introduced into planttissues with a biolistic device that accelerates the microprojectiles tospeeds of 300 to 600 m/s which is sufficient to penetrate plant cellwalls and membranes. Sanford, et al., Part. Sci. Technol., 5:27 (1987);Sanford, J. C., Trends Biotech., 6:299 (1988); Klein, et al., Bio/Tech.,6:559-563 (1988); Sanford, J. C., Physiol Plant, 7:206 (1990); Klein, etal., Biotechnology, 10:268 (1992). See also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,580(Christou, et al.), issued May 14, 1991 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,783.

Another method for physical delivery of DNA to plants is sonication oftarget cells. Zhang, et al., Bio/Technology, 9:996 (1991).Alternatively, liposome and spheroplast fusion have been used tointroduce expression vectors into plants. Deshayes, et al., EMBO J.,4:2731 (1985); Christou, et al., Proc Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 84:3962(1987). Direct uptake of DNA into protoplasts using CaCl₂ precipitation,polyvinyl alcohol or poly-L-ornithine have also been reported. Hain, etal., Mol. Gen. Genet., 199:161 (1985) and Draper, et al., Plant CellPhysiol., 23:451 (1982). Electroporation of protoplasts and whole cellsand tissues has also been described (D'Halluin, et al., Plant Cell,4:1495-1505 (1992); and Spencer, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 24:51-61(1994)).

Following transformation of potato target tissues, expression of theabove-described selectable marker genes allows for preferentialselection of transformed cells, tissues, and/or plants, usingregeneration and selection methods well known in the art.

The foregoing methods for transformation may be used for producing atransgenic variety. The transgenic variety could then be crossed withanother (non-transformed or transformed) variety in order to produce anew transgenic variety. Alternatively, a genetic trait that has beenengineered into a particular potato line using the foregoingtransformation techniques could be moved into another line usingtraditional backcrossing techniques that are well known in the plantbreeding arts. For example, a backcrossing approach could be used tomove an engineered trait from a public, non-elite variety into an elitevariety, or from a variety containing a foreign gene in its genome intoa variety or varieties that do not contain that gene. As used herein,“crossing” can refer to a simple x by y cross or the process ofbackcrossing depending on the context.

Likewise, by means of one embodiment, agronomic genes can be expressedin transformed plants. More particularly, plants can be geneticallyengineered to express various phenotypes of agronomic interest.Exemplary genes implicated in this regard include, but are not limitedto, those categorized below:

1. Genes that Confer Resistance to Pests or Disease and that Encode:

A. Plant disease resistance genes. Plant defenses are often activated byspecific interaction between the product of a disease resistance gene(R) in the plant and the product of a corresponding avirulence (Avr)gene in the pathogen. A plant variety can be transformed with one ormore cloned resistance genes to engineer plants that are resistant tospecific pathogen strains. See, for example, Jones, et al., Science,266:789 (1994) (cloning of the tomato Cf-9 gene for resistance toCladosporium fulvum); Martin, et al., Science, 262:1432 (1993) (tomatoPto gene for resistance to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato encodes aprotein kinase); Mindrinos, et al., Cell, 78:1089 (1994) (ArabidopsisRSP2 gene for resistance to Pseudomonas syringae); McDowell & Woffenden,Trends Biotechnol., 21(4):178-83 (2003); and Toyoda, et al., TransgenicRes., 11 (6):567-82 (2002).

B. A gene conferring resistance to a pest, such as the Colorado potatobeetle. See, for example, Mi, X., et al., “Transgenic potato plantsexpressing cry3A gene confer resistance to Colorado potato beetle” C. R.Biol. 2015 July, 338(7):443-50; and the potato tuber moth, Davidson, M.M., et al., “Development and Evaluation of Potatoes Transgenic for acryAc1 Gene Conferring Resistance to Potato Tuber Moth” J. Amer. Soc.Hort. Sci. 127(4):590-596.

C. A Bacillus thuringiensis protein, a derivative thereof or a syntheticpolypeptide modeled thereon. See, for example, Geiser, et al., Gene,48:109 (1986), who disclose the cloning and nucleotide sequence of a Btδ-endotoxin gene. Moreover, DNA molecules encoding δ-endotoxin genes canbe purchased from American Type Culture Collection, Manassas, Va., forexample, under ATCC Accession Nos. 40098, 67136, 31995, and 31998.

D. A lectin. See, for example, Van Damme, et al., Plant Molec. Biol.,24:25 (1994), who disclose the nucleotide sequences of several Cliviaminiata mannose-binding lectin genes.

E. A vitamin-binding protein such as avidin. See, InternationalApplication No. PCT/US1993/006487, which teaches the use of avidin andavidin homologues as larvicides against insect pests.

F. An enzyme inhibitor, for example, a protease or proteinase inhibitoror an amylase inhibitor. See, for example, Abe, et al., J. Biol. Chem.,262:16793 (1987) (nucleotide sequence of rice cysteine proteinaseinhibitor); Huub, et al., Plant Molec. Biol., 21:985 (1993) (nucleotidesequence of cDNA encoding tobacco proteinase inhibitor I); Sumitani, etal., Biosci. Biotech. Biochem., 57:1243 (1993) (nucleotide sequence ofStreptomyces nitrosporeus α-amylase inhibitor); and U.S. Pat. No.5,494,813.

G. An insect-specific hormone or pheromone, such as an ecdysteroid orjuvenile hormone, a variant thereof, a mimetic based thereon, or anantagonist or agonist thereof. See, for example, the disclosure byHammock, et al., Nature, 344:458 (1990), of baculovirus expression ofcloned juvenile hormone esterase, an inactivator of juvenile hormone.

H. An insect-specific peptide or neuropeptide which, upon expression,disrupts the physiology of the affected pest. For example, see thedisclosures of Regan, J. Biol. Chem., 269:9 (1994) (expression cloningyields DNA coding for insect diuretic hormone receptor); Pratt, et al.,Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm., 163:1243 (1989) (an allostatin isidentified in Diploptera puntata); Chattopadhyay, et al., CriticalReviews in Microbiology, 30(1):33-54 (2004); Zjawiony, J. Nat. Prod.,67(2):300-310 (2004); Carlini & Grossi-de-Sa, Toxicon, 40(11):1515-1539(2002); Ussuf, et al., Curr Sci., 80(7):847-853 (2001); Vasconcelos &Oliveira, Toxicon, 44(4):385-403 (2004). See also, U.S. Pat. No.5,266,317 which discloses genes encoding insect-specific, paralyticneurotoxins.

I. An insect-specific venom produced in nature by a snake, a wasp, etc.For example, see, Pang, et al., Gene, 116:165 (1992), for disclosure ofheterologous expression in plants of a gene coding for a scorpioninsectotoxic peptide.

J. An enzyme responsible for a hyperaccumulation of a monoterpene, asesquiterpene, a steroid, hydroxamic acid, a phenylpropanoid derivative,or another non-protein molecule with insecticidal activity.

K. An enzyme involved in the modification, including thepost-translational modification, of a biologically active molecule; forexample, a glycolytic enzyme, a proteolytic enzyme, a lipolytic enzyme,a nuclease, a cyclase, a transaminase, an esterase, a hydrolase, aphosphatase, a kinase, a phosphorylase, a polymerase, an elastase, achitinase, and a glucanase, whether natural or synthetic. See, U.S. Pat.No. 5,955,653 which discloses the nucleotide sequence of a callase gene.DNA molecules which contain chitinase-encoding sequences can beobtained, for example, from the ATCC under Accession Nos. 39637 and67152. See also, Kramer, et al., Insect Biochem. Molec. Biol., 23:691(1993), who teach the nucleotide sequence of a cDNA encoding tobaccohornworm chitinase, and Kawalleck, et al., Plant Molec. Biol., 21:673(1993), who provide the nucleotide sequence of the parsley ubi4-2polyubiquitin gene, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,145,060, 7,087,810, and 6,563,020.

L. A hydrophobic moment peptide. See, U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,852, whichdiscloses peptide derivatives of tachyplesin which inhibit fungal plantpathogens, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,914 which teaches syntheticantimicrobial peptides that confer disease resistance.

M. A membrane permease, a channel former or a channel blocker. Forexample, see the disclosure of Jaynes, et al., Plant Sci, 89:43 (1993),of heterologous expression of a cecropin-13 lytic peptide analog torender transgenic tobacco plants resistant to Pseudomonas solanacearum.

N. A viral-invasive protein or a complex toxin derived therefrom. Forexample, the accumulation of viral coat proteins in transformed plantcells imparts resistance to viral infection and/or disease developmenteffected by the virus from which the coat protein gene is derived, aswell as by related viruses. See, Beachy, et al., Ann. Rev. Phytopathol.,28:451 (1990). Coat protein-mediated resistance has been conferred upontransformed plants against alfalfa mosaic virus, cucumber mosaic virus,and tobacco mosaic virus.

O. An insect-specific antibody or an immunotoxin derived therefrom.Thus, an antibody targeted to a critical metabolic function in theinsect gut would inactivate an affected enzyme, killing the insect.

P. A virus-specific antibody. See, for example, Tavladoraki, et al.,Nature, 366:469 (1993), who show that transgenic plants expressingrecombinant antibody genes are protected from virus attack.

Q. A developmental-arrestive protein produced in nature by a pathogen ora parasite. Thus, fungal endo-α-1,4-D-polygalacturonases facilitatefungal colonization and plant nutrient release by solubilizing plantcell wall homo-α-1,4-D-galacturonase. See, Lamb, et al., Bio/Technology,10:1436 (1992). The cloning and characterization of a gene which encodesa bean endopolygalacturonase-inhibiting protein is described by Toubart,et al., Plant J., 2:367 (1992).

R. A developmental-arrestive protein produced in nature by a plant. Forexample, Logemann, et al., Bio/Technology, 10:305 (1992), have shownthat transgenic plants expressing the barley ribosome-inactivating genehave an increased resistance to fungal disease.

S. Genes involved in the Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR) Responseand/or the pathogenesis-related genes. Briggs, S., Current Biology, 5(2)(1995); Pieterse & Van Loon, Curr. Opin. Plant Bio., 7(4):456-64 (2004);and Somssich, Cell, 113(7):815-6 (2003).

T. Antifungal genes. See, Cornelissen and Melchers, Plant Physiol.,101:709-712 (1993); Parijs, et al., Planta, 183:258-264 (1991); andBushnell, et al., Can. J of Plant Path., 20(2):137-149 (1998). See also,U.S. Pat. No. 6,875,907.

U. Detoxification genes, such as for fumonisin, beauvericin,moniliformin, and zearalenone and their structurally-relatedderivatives. See, U.S. Pat. No. 5,792,931.

V. Cystatin and cysteine proteinase inhibitors. See, U.S. Pat. No.7,205,453.

W. Defensin genes. See, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,911,577, 7,855,327, 7,855,328,7,897,847, 7,910,806, 7,919,686, and 8,026,415.

X. Genes conferring resistance to nematodes. See, U.S. Pat. Nos.5,994,627 and 6,294,712; Urwin, et al., Planta, 204:472-479 (1998);Williamson, Curr Opin Plant Bio., 2(4):327-31 (1999).

Y. Genes conferring resistance to potato late blight, such as Rpi-Vnt1,which is well-known in art.

Z. Genes conferring resistance to potato leaf roll virus (PLRV) throughgene silencing mechanism, such as plry orfl and 2, which is well-knownin art.

AA. Genes conferring resistance to potato virus Y (PVY) through“pathogen-derived resistance” mechanism, such as pvy cp, which iswell-known in art. Please see Song, Ye-Su, “Genetic marker analysis inpotato for extreme resistance (Rysto) to PVY and for chip quality afterlong term storage at 4° C.” Dissertation, Tecnhical University ofMunchen, dated Jul. 26, 2004.

Any of the above-listed disease or pest resistance genes (A-AA) can beintroduced into the claimed potato cultivar through a variety of meansincluding, but not limited to, transformation and crossing.

2. Genes that Confer Resistance to an Herbicide, for Example:

A. An herbicide that inhibits the growing point or meristem, such as animidazolinone or a sulfonylurea. Exemplary genes in this category codefor mutant ALS and AHAS enzyme as described, for example, by Lee, etal., EMBO J., 7:1241 (1988) and Mild, et al., Theor. Appl. Genet.,80:449 (1990), respectively.

B. Glyphosate (resistance conferred by mutant5-enolpyruvlshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) and aroA genes,respectively) and other phosphono compounds, such as glufosinate(phosphinothricin acetyl transferase (PAT) and Streptomyceshygroscopicus PAT bar genes), pyridinoxy or phenoxy proprionic acids,and cyclohexanediones (ACCase inhibitor-encoding genes). See, forexample, U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,835 which discloses the nucleotide sequenceof a form of EPSPS which can confer glyphosate resistance. U.S. Pat. No.5,627,061 which describes genes encoding EPSPS enzymes. See also, U.S.Pat. Nos. 6,566,587, 6,338,961, 6,248,876, 6,040,497, 5,804,425,5,633,435, 5,145,783, 4,971,908, 5,312,910, 5,188,642, 4,940,835,5,866,775, 6,225,114, 6,130,366, 5,310,667, 4,535,060, 4,769,061,5,633,448, 5,510,471, 6,803,501, RE 36,449, RE 37,287, and 5,491,288,which are incorporated herein by reference for this purpose. Glyphosateresistance is also imparted to plants that express a gene that encodes aglyphosate oxido-reductase enzyme, as described more fully in U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,776,760 and 5,463,175, which are incorporated herein by referencefor this purpose. In addition, glyphosate resistance can be imparted toplants by the over expression of genes encoding glyphosateN-acetyltransferase. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,462,481. A DNAmolecule encoding a mutant aroA gene can be obtained under ATCCAccession No. 39256, and the nucleotide sequence of the mutant gene isdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,061. European Patent Appl. No. 0333033and U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,374 disclose nucleotide sequences of glutaminesynthetase genes which confer resistance to herbicides such asL-phosphinothricin. The nucleotide sequence of a PAT gene is provided inEuropean Patent No. 0242246 to Leemans, et al. DeGreef, et al.,Bio/Technology, 7:61 (1989) describe the production of transgenic plantsthat express chimeric bar genes coding for phosphinothricin acetyltransferase activity. Exemplary of genes conferring resistance tophenoxy proprionic acids and cyclohexones, such as sethoxydim andhaloxyfop are the Acc1-S1, Acc1-S2, and Acc2-S3 genes described byMarshall, et al., Theor. Appl. Genet., 83:435 (1992).

C. An herbicide that inhibits photosynthesis, such as a triazine (psbAand gs+ genes) and a benzonitrile (nitrilase gene). Przibila, et al.,Plant Cell, 3:169 (1991), describe the transformation of Chlamydomonaswith plasmids encoding mutant psbA genes. Nucleotide sequences fornitrilase genes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,648 to Stalker andDNA molecules containing these genes are available under ATCC AccessionNos. 53435, 67441, and 67442. Cloning and expression of DNA coding for aglutathione S-transferase is described by Hayes, et al., Biochem. J.,285:173 (1992). Protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO) is the target of thePPO-inhibitor class of herbicides; a PPO-inhibitor resistant PPO genewas recently identified in Amaranthus tuberculatus (Patzoldt et al.,PNAS, 103(33):12329-2334, 2006). The herbicide methyl viologen inhibitsCO₂ assimilation. Foyer et al. (Plant Physiol., 109:1047-1057, 1995)describe a plant overexpressing glutathione reductase (GR) which isresistant to methyl viologen treatment. Bromoxynil resistance byintroducing a chimeric gene containing the bxn gene (Science, 242(4877):419-23, 1988).

D. Acetohydroxy acid synthase, which has been found to make plants thatexpress this enzyme resistant to multiple types of herbicides, has beenintroduced into a variety of plants. See, Hattori, et al., Mol. Gen.Genet., 246:419 (1995). Other genes that confer tolerance to herbicidesinclude a gene encoding a chimeric protein of rat cytochrome P4507A1 andyeast NADPH-cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (Shiota, et al., PlantPhysiol., 106:17 (1994)); genes for glutathione reductase and superoxidedismutase (Aono, et al., Plant Cell Physiol., 36:1687 (1995)); and genesfor various phosphotransferases (Datta, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 20:619(1992)).

E. Protoporphyrinogen oxidase (protox) is necessary for the productionof chlorophyll, which is necessary for all plant survival. The protoxenzyme serves as the target for a variety of herbicidal compounds. Theseherbicides also inhibit growth of all the different species of plantspresent, causing their total destruction. The development of plantscontaining altered protox activity which are resistant to theseherbicides are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,288,306, 6,282,837,5,767,373, and 6,084,155.

Any of the above listed herbicide genes (A-E) can be introduced into theclaimed potato cultivar through a variety of means including but notlimited to transformation and crossing.

3. Genes that Confer or Contribute to a Value-Added Trait, Such as:

A. Modified fatty acid metabolism, for example, by transforming a plantwith an antisense gene of stearyl-ACP desaturase to increase stearicacid content of the plant. See, Knultzon, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.USA, 89:2625 (1992).

B. Decreased phytate content: 1) Introduction of a phytase-encoding geneenhances breakdown of phytate, adding more free phosphate to thetransformed plant. For example, see, Van Hartingsveldt, et al., Gene,127:87 (1993), for a disclosure of the nucleotide sequence of anAspergillus niger phytase gene. 2) Up-regulation of a gene that reducesphytate content. In maize, this, for example, could be accomplished bycloning and then re-introducing DNA associated with one or more of thealleles, such as the LPA alleles, identified in maize mutantscharacterized by low levels of phytic acid, such as in Raboy, et al.,Maydica, 35:383 (1990), and/or by altering inositol kinase activity asin, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,425,442, 7,714,187, 6,197,561,6,2191,224, 6,855,869, 6,391,348, 6,197,561, and 6,291,224; U.S. Publ.Nos. 2003/000901, 2003/0009011, and 2006/272046; and International Pub.Nos. WO 98/45448, and WO 01/04147.

C. Modified carbohydrate composition effected, for example, bytransforming plants with a gene coding for an enzyme that alters thebranching pattern of starch, or a gene altering thioredoxin, such as NTRand/or TRX (See, U.S. Pat. No. 6,531,648, which is incorporated byreference for this purpose), and/or a gamma zein knock out or mutant,such as cs27 or TUSC27 or en27 (See, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,858,778, 7,741,533and U.S. Publ. No. 2005/0160488, which are incorporated by reference forthis purpose). See, Shiroza, et al., J. Bacteriol., 170:810 (1988)(nucleotide sequence of Streptococcus mutans fructosyltransferase gene);Steinmetz, et al., Mol. Gen. Genet., 200:220 (1985) (nucleotide sequenceof Bacillus subtilis levansucrase gene); Pen, et al., Bio/Technology,10:292 (1992) (production of transgenic plants that express Bacilluslicheniformis α-amylase); Elliot, et al., Plant Molec. Biol., 21:515(1993) (nucleotide sequences of tomato invertase genes); Søgaard, etal., J. Biol. Chem., 268:22480-22484 (1993) (site-directed mutagenesisof barley α-amylase gene); Fisher, et al., Plant Physiol., 102:1045(1993) (maize endosperm starch branching enzyme II); International Pub.No. WO 99/10498 (improved digestibility and/or starch extraction throughmodification of UDP-D-xylose 4-epimerase, Fragile 1 and 2, Ref 1, HCHL,C4H); U.S. Pat. No. 6,232,529 (method of producing high oil seed bymodification of starch levels (AGP)). The fatty acid modification genesmentioned above may also be used to affect starch content and/orcomposition through the interrelationship of the starch and oilpathways.

D. Elevated oleic acid via FAD-2 gene modification and/or decreasedlinolenic acid via FAD-3 gene modification. See, U.S. Pat. Nos.5,952,544, 6,063,947, and 6,323,392.

E. Altering conjugated linolenic or linoleic acid content, such as inU.S. Pat. No. 6,593,514. Altering LEC1, AGP, Dek1, Superal1, mi1ps, andvarious Ipa genes, such as Ipa1, Ipa3, hpt, or hggt. See, for example,U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,122,658, 7,342,418, 6,232,529, 7,888,560, 6,423,886,6,197,561, 6,825,397 and 7,157,621; U.S. Publ. No. 2003/0079247;International Publ. No. WO 2003/011015; and Rivera-Madrid, R., et al.,Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 92:5620-5624 (1995).

F. Altered antioxidant content or composition, such as alteration oftocopherol or tocotrienols. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,787,683,7,154,029 and International Publ. No. WO 00/68393 (involving themanipulation of antioxidant levels through alteration of a phytl prenyltransferase (ppt)); and U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,154,029 and 7,622,658 (throughalteration of a homogentisate geranyl geranyl transferase (hggt)).

G. Altered essential seed amino acids. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No.6,127,600 (method of increasing accumulation of essential amino acids inseeds); U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,913 (binary methods of increasingaccumulation of essential amino acids in seeds); U.S. Pat. No. 5,990,389and International Publ. No. WO 95/15392 (high lysine); U.S. Pat. No.5,850,016 (alteration of amino acid compositions in seeds); U.S. Pat.No. 5,885,802 (high methionine); U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,801 andInternational Publ. No. WO96/01905 (high threonine); U.S. Pat. Nos.6,664,445, 7,022,895, 7,368,633, and 7,439,420 (plant amino acidbiosynthetic enzymes); U.S. Pat. No. 6,459,019 and U.S. application Ser.No. 09/381,485 (increased lysine and threonine); U.S. Pat. No. 6,441,274(plant tryptophan synthase beta subunit); U.S. Pat. No. 6,346,403(methionine metabolic enzymes); U.S. Pat. No. 5,939,599 (high sulfur);U.S. Pat. No. 5,912,414 (increased methionine); U.S. Pat. No. 5,633,436(increasing sulfur amino acid content); U.S. Pat. No. 5,559,223(synthetic storage proteins with defined structure containingprogrammable levels of essential amino acids for improvement of thenutritional value of plants); U.S. Pat. No. 6,194,638 (hemicellulose);U.S. Pat. No. 7,098,381 (UDPGdH); U.S. Pat. No. 6,194,638 (RGP); U.S.Pat. Nos. 6,399,859, 6,930,225, 7,179,955, 6,803,498, 5,850,016, and7,053,282 (alteration of amino acid compositions in seeds); WO 99/29882(methods for altering amino acid content of proteins); U.S. applicationSer. No. 09/297,418 (proteins with enhanced levels of essential aminoacids); WO 98/45458 (engineered seed protein having higher percentage ofessential amino acids); WO 01/79516; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,803,498,6,930,225, 7,307,149, 7,524,933, 7,579,443, 7,838,632, 7,851,597, and7,982,009 (maize cellulose synthases).

4. Genes that Control Male Sterility:

There are several methods of conferring genetic male sterility inpotatoes. For example, male sterility occurs more often in tetraploidcultivars and related taxa. Please see Grun P., et al., “Multipledifferentiation of plasmons of diploid species of Solanum.” Genetics 47:1321-1333 (1962). The male sterility is a consequence ofnuclear-cytoplasm interactions, where the dominant Ms gene interactswith the cytoplasm of S. tuberosum to cause male sterility and thedominant Rt gene restores fertility. Please see Iwanaga M., et al., “Arestorer gene for genetic-cytoplasmic male sterility in cultivatedpotatoes”. Am. Potato J. 68: 19-28 (1991a).

5. Genes that Create a Site for Site Specific DNA Integration:

This includes the introduction of FRT sites that may be used in theFLP/FRT system and/or Lox sites that may be used in the Cre/Loxp system.See, for example, Lyznik, et al., Site-Specific Recombination forGenetic Engineering in Plants, Plant Cell Rep, 21:925-932 (2003) andU.S. Pat. No. 6,187,994, which are hereby incorporated by reference.Other systems that may be used include the Gin recombinase of phage Mu(Maeser, et al. (1991); Vicki Chandler, The Maize Handbook, Ch. 118(Springer-Verlag 1994)); the Pin recombinase of E. coli (Enomoto, et al.(1983)); and the R/RS system of the pSRi plasmid (Araki, et al. (1992)).

6. Genes that Affect Abiotic Stress Resistance:

Genes that affect abiotic stress resistance (including but not limitedto flowering, enhancement of nitrogen utilization efficiency, alterednitrogen responsiveness, drought resistance or tolerance, coldresistance or tolerance, and salt resistance or tolerance) and increasedyield under stress. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 6,653,535 where wateruse efficiency is altered through alteration of malate; U.S. Pat. Nos.5,892,009, 5,965,705, 5,929,305, 5,891,859, 6,417,428, 6,664,446,6,706,866, 6,717,034, 6,801,104, 6,946,586, 7,238,860, 7,635,800,7,135,616, 7,193,129, and 7,601,893; and International Publ. Nos. WO2001/026459, WO 2001/035725, WO 2001/035727, WO 2001/036444, WO2001/036597, WO 2001/036598, WO 2002/015675, and WO 2002/077185,describing genes, including CBF genes and transcription factorseffective in mitigating the negative effects of freezing, high salinity,and drought on plants, as well as conferring other positive effects onplant phenotype; U.S. Publ. No. 2004/0148654, where abscisic acid isaltered in plants resulting in improved plant phenotype, such asincreased yield and/or increased tolerance to abiotic stress; U.S. Pat.Nos. 6,992,237, 6,429,003, 7,049,115, and 7,262,038, where cytokininexpression is modified resulting in plants with increased stresstolerance, such as drought tolerance, and/or increased yield. See also,WO 02/02776, WO 2003/052063, JP 2002281975, U.S. Pat. No. 6,084,153, WO01/64898, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,177,275 and 6,107,547 (enhancement ofnitrogen utilization and altered nitrogen responsiveness). For ethylenealteration, see, U.S. Publ. Nos. 2004/0128719, 2003/0166197, and U.S.application Ser. No. 09/856,834. For plant transcription factors ortranscriptional regulators of abiotic stress, see, e.g., U.S. Publ. Nos.2004/0098764 or 2004/0078852.

Other genes and transcription factors that affect plant growth andagronomic traits, such as yield, flowering, plant growth, and/or plantstructure, can be introduced or introgressed into plants. See forexample, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,140,085, and 6,265,637 (CO); U.S. Pat. No.6,670,526 (ESD4); U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,573,430 and 7,157,279 (TFL); U.S.Pat. No. 6,713,663 (FT); U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,794,560, 6,307,126 (GAI); U.S.Pat. No. 7,045,682 (VRN1); U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,949,694 and 7,253,274(VRN2); U.S. Pat. No. 6,887,708 (GI); U.S. Pat. No. 7,320,158 (FRI);U.S. Pat. No. 6,307,126 (GAI); U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,762,348 and 7,268,272(D8 and Rht); and U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,345,217, 7,511,190, 7,659,446, and7,825,296 (transcription factors).

Gene Editing Using CRISPR

CRISPR is a type of genome editing system that stands for ClusteredRegularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats. This system andCRISPR-associated (Cas) genes enable organisms, such as select bacteriaand archaea, to respond to and eliminate invading genetic material.Ishino, Y., et al. J. Bacteriol. 169, 5429-5433 (1987). These repeatswere known as early as the 1980s in E. coli, but Barrangou andcolleagues demonstrated that S. thermophilus can acquire resistanceagainst a bacteriophage by integrating a fragment of a genome of aninfectious virus into its CRISPR locus. Barrangou, R., et al. Science315, 1709-1712 (2007). Potatoes have been modified using the CRISPRsystem. Please see Wang, S., et al., “Efficient targeted mutagenesis inpotato by the CRISPR/Cas9 system” Plant Cell Reports 34(9): pp 1473-1476(September 2015). Therefore it is another embodiment to use the CRISPRsystem on potato variety FL 2360 to modify traits and resistances topests, herbicides, and viruses.

Tissue Culture

Further reproduction of the variety can occur by tissue culture andregeneration. Tissue culture of various tissues of potatoes andregeneration of plants therefrom is well-known and widely published.See, Ahloowalia, B. S., “Plant regeneration from callus culture inpotato” Euphytica. 31(3): pp 755-759 (December 1982); and Wang, P. J.,“Regeneration of Virus-free Potato from Tissue Culture” in Plant TissueCulture and Its Bio-technological Application, Bartz, et al. (eds).Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. pp 386-391 (1977). Thus, anotheraspect or embodiment is to provide cells which upon growth anddifferentiation produce potato plants having the physiological andmorphological characteristics of potato cultivar FL 2360.

Regeneration refers to the development of a plant from tissue culture.The term “tissue culture” indicates a composition comprising isolatedcells of the same or a different type or a collection of such cellsorganized into parts of a plant. Exemplary types of tissue cultures areprotoplasts, calli, plant clumps, and plant cells that can generatetissue culture that are intact in plants or parts of plants, such asembryos, pollen, flowers, seeds, pods, petioles, leaves, stems, roots,root tips, anthers, pistils, and the like. Means for preparing andmaintaining plant tissue culture are well known in the art. By way ofexample, a tissue culture comprising organs has been used to produceregenerated plants. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,959,185, 5,973,234, and 5,977,445describe certain techniques, the disclosures of which are incorporatedherein by reference.

INDUSTRIAL USES

Potato has a wide variety of uses in the commodity area. For example,fresh potatoes can be cooked (fried, baked, boiled, etc). Potatoes canbe used to make potato chips, frozen potato items such as hash/homefries/French fries, dehydrated potato flakes, potato granules,ingredients in food snacks, potato flour, potato starch, and alcoholicbeverages, as well as non-food uses such as potato starch used by thepharmaceutical, textile, wood, and paper industries as an adhesive,binder, texture agent, and filler, and by oil drilling firms to washboreholes. Potato starch can also be used in place of polystyrene andother plastics disposable dishes and utensils. Potato peel and otherwastes from potato processing can be liquefied and fermented to producefuel-grade ethanol. Thus, a further embodiment provides for a foodproduct or non-food product made from a part of the potato plant varietyFL 2360. The food product may be a French fry, potato chip, dehydratedpotato material, potato flakes, or potato granules.

In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above,further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by study of thefollowing descriptions.

While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussedabove, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications,permutations, additions and sub-combinations thereof. It is thereforeintended that the following appended claims and claims hereafterintroduced are interpreted to include all such modifications,permutations, additions, and sub-combinations as are within their truespirit and scope.

One embodiment may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodimentsare to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and notrestrictive. All changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

Various embodiments, include components, methods, processes, systemsand/or apparatus substantially as depicted and described herein,including various embodiments, sub-combinations, and subsets thereof.Those of skill in the art will understand how to make and use anembodiment(s) after understanding the present disclosure.

The foregoing discussion of the embodiments has been presented forpurposes of illustration and description. The foregoing is not intendedto limit the embodiments to the form or forms disclosed herein. In theforegoing Detailed Description for example, various features of theembodiments are grouped together in one or more embodiments for thepurpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is notto be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the embodiment(s)requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather,as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than allfeatures of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the followingclaims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description.

Moreover, though the description of the embodiments has includeddescription of one or more embodiments and certain variations andmodifications, other variations and modifications are within the scopeof the embodiments (e.g., as may be within the skill and knowledge ofthose in the art, after understanding the present disclosure). It isintended to obtain rights which include alternative embodiments to theextent permitted, including alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalentstructures, functions, ranges or acts to those claimed, whether or notsuch alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions,ranges or acts are disclosed herein, and without intending to publiclydedicate any patentable subject matter.

The use of the terms “a,” “an,” and “the,” and similar referents in thecontext of describing the embodiments (especially in the context of thefollowing claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and theplural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted bycontext. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing”are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, butnot limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of valuesherein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referringindividually to each separate value falling within the range, unlessotherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated intothe specification as if it were individually recited herein. Forexample, if the range 10-15 is disclosed, then 11, 12, 13, and 14 arealso disclosed. All methods described herein can be performed in anysuitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearlycontradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplarylanguage (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to betterilluminate the embodiments and does not pose a limitation on the scopeof the embodiments unless otherwise claimed.

DEPOSIT INFORMATION

A micro tuber deposit of the Frito-Lay North America, Inc. proprietarypotato cultivar FL 2360 disclosed above and recited in the appendedclaims has been made with America Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 10801University Boulevard Manassas, Va. 20110-2209. The date of deposit wasFeb. 28, 2017. The ATCC No. is PTA-123709. The deposit of 27 vials ofmicro tubers was taken from the same deposit maintained by Frito-LayNorth America, Inc. since prior to the filing date of this application.The deposit will be maintained in the ATCC depository for a period of 30years, or 5 years after the most recent request, or for the enforceablelife of the patent, whichever is longer, and will be replaced ifnecessary during that period. Upon issuance of the patent, allrestrictions on the availability to the public of the deposit will beirrevocably removed consistent with all of the requirements of 37 C.F.R.§§1.801-1.809.

What is claimed is:
 1. A potato tuber, or a part of a tuber, of potatocultivar FL 2360, wherein a representative sample of said tuber wasdeposited under ATCC No. PTA-123709.
 2. A potato plant, or a partthereof, produced by growing the tuber, or a part of the tuber, ofclaim
 1. 3. A potato plant having all of the physiological andmorphological characteristics of the plant of claim
 2. 4. A tissueculture of cells produced from the plant of claim 2, wherein said cellsof the tissue culture are produced from a plant part selected from thegroup consisting of leaf, pollen, embryo, cotyledon, hypocotyl,meristematic cell, root, root tip, pistil, anther, flowers, ovule, lightsprout, petiole, eye, stem, and tuber.
 5. A potato plant regeneratedfrom the tissue culture of claim 4, wherein said plant has all of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of potato cultivar FL2360.
 6. A potato light sprout produced by growing the potato tuber, ora part of the tuber, of claim
 1. 7. A potato plant, or a part thereof,produced by growing the light sprout of claim
 6. 8. A potato plantregenerated from tissue culture of the potato plant of claim 7, whereinsaid potato plant has all of the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of potato cultivar FL
 2360. 9. A method for producing anF₁ progeny potato seed, said method comprising crossing two potatoplants and harvesting the resultant potato seed, wherein at least onepotato plant is the potato plant of claim
 2. 10. A method for producingan F₁ progeny potato seed, said method comprising crossing two potatoplants and harvesting the resultant potato seed, wherein at least onepotato plant is the potato plant of claim
 7. 11. A method of producing acommodity plant product, comprising obtaining the plant of claim 2, or apart thereof, and producing the commodity plant product from said plantor plant part thereof, wherein said commodity plant product is selectedfrom the group consisting of french fries, potato chips, dehydratedpotato material, potato flakes and potato granules.
 12. The commodityplant product produced by the method of claim 11.